As devoted students of healing and enlightenment, don’t we all want to liberate suffering through various forms of healing and charity? Is suffering real, and the liberation of it through various means of healing to be done then? Yes, indeed the suffering and healing are both real. Otherwise the Buddha would not have taught on earth for 40+ years! The reason why the Buddha told us that no beings have been liberated by him is that, he knows that when we live our lives and heal sufferings, we easily fall into the temptation of the labels “healers” who heal “others”. This labeling and claiming credits are to be avoid, not the healing work itself. For if we get sucked into these labels, we would be hijacked and sidetracked by our own ego on the road to true healing and enlightenment.

TRANSFORMING WITHOUT THERE BEING ANYONE TRANSFORMED, TWENTY-FIVE

须菩提！于意云何？ 汝等勿谓如来作是念：我当度众生。 “Subhuti, what do you think? “You should not say the Tathagata has this thought (in His mind): ‘I should liberate living beings.’”

须菩提！莫作是念。何以故？ 实无有众生如来度者，若有众生如来度者，如来则有我人众生寿者。 须菩提！如来说：“有我者，则非有我，而凡夫之人以为有我。 须菩提！凡夫者，如来说则非凡夫。 “Subhuti, you should not think so. Why? “Because there are really no living beings whom the Tathagata can liberate. If there were, the Tathagata would hold (the concept of) an ego, a personality, a being and a life.” “Subhuti, (when) the Tathagata speaks of an ego, there is in reality no ego, although common men think so. “Subhuti, the Tathagata says common men are not, but are (expediently) called, common men.

The highest truth and the way to it is revealed in this chapter. If we adopt an open mind and examine carefully what being said, we can see that what the Buddha suggests here – cultivate selflessly all good virtues – is no different from the core message of the founders of all other world’s great religions. Only that the Buddha describes more explicitly the structure and potential pitfall of the self in the process. That’s why, even though in the beginning different spiritual paths might look different, as we proceed, we start to see that teachings from the all great teachers merge, support each other, and point towards the same truth. While lower truth is limiting and controlling, higher truth is all encompassing and liberating.

When the destination is reached, of course, the definition of “good virtue” too will become redundant and is not to be attached.

For those who has followed the pathway of nothingness or negation, it is helpful to be reminded that highest enlightenment is to be brought about through selfless good virtue, not selfless no virtue!

For our mutual reminder and encouragement.

* * *

净心行善分第二十三

A PURE MIND DOES WHOLESOME DEEDS, TWENTY-THREE

复次，须菩提！

是法平等，无有高下，是名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提；

“Furthermore, Subhuti,

this Dharma is universal and impartial; therefore it is called Supreme Enlightenment.”

以无我、无人、无众生、无寿者，修一切善法，则（即）得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。

须菩提！所言善法者，如来说非善法，是名善法。

“The practice of all good virtues (Dharmas), free from attachment to an ego, a personality, a being and a life, will result in the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment.”

“Subhuti, the so-called good virtues (Dharmas), the Tathagata says, are not good, but are (expediently) called good virtues.”

In a typical learning process, we receive some information, digest it intellectually or follow it experimentally, then it become part of us as an integrated part of our life. Very often, we consider it a gain after we learn something. However, in this sutra, after telling us that there is really no Dharma to teach, and that there is no Buddha who had taught any Dharma, the Buddha shared in this chapter that in his realization, there is really no Dharma to gain… Why is it so?

Furthermore, in our earlier discussion, we also recalled that the Buddha said that everything is teaching to enlightenment. So in the end, is there a Buddha who shared the state of enlightenment and pathway towards it? … If there is really nothing being shared and no one who can really gain from these teachings, how can we as spiritual students received and integrate these information into our lives?

A possible way to resolve the above paradoxes is shared in our earlier post: how does bodhisattva do charity. If we can apply the same approach we use to do charity in learning, then we can proceed safely without deepening our confusion to/from the temporary self.

* * *

无法可得分第二十二

NO DHARMA CAN BE OBTAINED, TWENTY-TWO

须菩提白佛言：世尊！佛得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，为无所得耶？ Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, does your (own) attainment of Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi) mean that you have not gained anything whatsoever?”

如是，如是。须菩提！ 我于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提乃至无有少法可得，是名阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。 The Buddha replied: “Just so, Subhuti, just so, I have not gained even the least Dharma from Supreme enlightenment, and this is called Supreme Enlightenment.”

Careful examination of one’s self reveals that the setting of spiritual intention is beyond the self, where the self merely claims credit of it soon after it happens. In a classic prayer, we would quiet our mind (in fact the entity that needs to be quieted is the self), and when the self is quite, there is communication, or reunion with our inner wisdom, our divine, or whatever we set faith in. Otherwise, it would become a “self-talk” which reinforce the notion of our “self”. Therefore, there is a difference between a prayer where our “self” pray to our faith, and a prayer where we put down our “self” in our faith.

Next time you pray, try and feel the difference: 1) “To (your faith), I pray to be a better person in You” 2) “To (your faith), I surrender to be the better person in You.”

Note: Where the former would seemingly strengthened the self and the latter weaken, real surrender does NOT necessarily lead to either (the strengthening and weakening of the self), but instead embraces the possibility of both. Ponder on it.

* * *

究竟无我分第十七

ULTIMATELY THERE IS NO SELF, SEVENTEEN

尔时，须菩提白佛言：世尊！善男子、善女人，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，云何应住？云何降伏其心？ At the time, Subhuti asked the Buddha: “World Honoured One, if a virtuous man or woman is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, how should his or her mind abide and how should it be subdued?”

佛告须菩提：善男子、善女人，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，当生如是心，我应灭度一切众生。灭度一切众生已，而无有一众生实灭度者。何以故？ 须菩提， 若菩萨有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相，则（即）非菩萨。所以者何？ 须菩提！实无有法。发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者。 The Buddha said to Subhuti: “A virtuous man or woman who is determined to develop the Supreme Enlightened Mind, should thus develop it: I have to lead all living beings to put a stop to (reincarnation) and escape (suffering), and when they have been so led, not one of them in fact stops (reincarnating) or escapes suffering. Why?”

“Because, Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva clings to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, he is not a (true) Bodhisattva. Why?”

“Because, Subhuti, there is not really a Dharma which can develop the Supreme-Enlightenment-Mind.

This chapter describes the process of letting go negative karma. From individual karma point of view, where everything we experience now is a consequence of our past actions and habits, the experience of attacks and insults from others are the results of our past actions and habits. If, at the moment of experiencing attacks/insults/unpleasant situation, we can center ourselves in the Truth of this Sutra, instead of resisting or fighting back to the situation, then the negative patterns will eventually run out and be dissolved. This is why the Buddha said aligning, integrating, and sharing of the Truth of this Sutra lead to the dissolving of our negative karma.

* * *

能净业障分第十六

KARMIC OBSTRUCTIONS CAN BE PURIFIED, SIXTEEN

复次 ，须菩提！若善男子、善女人，受持读诵此经，若为人轻贱，是人先世罪业，应堕恶道，以今世人轻贱故，先世罪业则（即）为消灭，当得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。 “Furthermore, Subhuti, if a virtuous man or woman receives, holds (in mind), reads and recites this sutra and is despised by others, this person who is bound to suffer from evil destinies in retribution for his past sins, and whose karmic Sins are now eradicated by the others’ contempt, will attain Supreme Enlightenment (Anuttarasamyak-sambodhi).

须菩提！我念过去无量阿僧祇劫，于燃灯佛前，得值八百四千万亿那由他诸佛，悉皆供养承事，无空过者；若复有人，于后末世，能受持读诵此经，所得功德，于我所供养诸佛功德，百分不及一，千万亿分、乃至算数譬喻所不能及。 “Subhuti, I remember that in the past countless aeons before the advent of Dipamkara Buddha, I met 84,000 milliards of Buddhas to whom I made offerings and whom I served faultlessly. Now if in the last period (of 500 years) in the Buddha kalpa someone is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, his merits will far exceed mine which resulted from my offerings made to Buddhas, for mine cannot be reckoned as one hundredth, one thousandth, one ten thousandth or one hundred thousandth part thereof; in fact no computation or comparison is possible.

须菩提！若善男子、善女人，于后末世，有受持读诵此经，所得功德，我若具说者，或有人闻，心则狂乱，狐疑不信。 须菩提！当知是经义不可思议，果报亦不可思议。 “Subhuti, in the last period of the Buddha kalpa, if a virtuous man or woman is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, my full statement of this person’s merits will create derangement, doubt and disbelief in the minds of all listeners.

“Subhuti, you should know that as the meaning of this sutra is inconceivable, so is the fruit of its reward.”

In the Buddhist tradition, the most important part of spiritual cultivation is the first step and also the ongoing step – the setting of intention (发心）. As the Chinese Classics describes, the superior man is prudent in the beginning, as an error of millimeter in beginning will eventually lead to an error of thousands of miles (君子慎始，差若毫厘，缪以千里)。

The setting of spiritual intention, therefore, is the central core of spiritual cultivation. In this chapter, the Buddha explains that a Bodhisattva should set its intention beyond all form and all senses. If one set one’s intention and do charity with the notion of self and form, one enters into darkness, versus when one do charity without the notion of self and form, one enters into light.

Why is it so? Because when we do charity work by the self, self-centerness is enforced which leads to the darkness of ignorance. On the other hand, if we surrender our attachments of and to our “self”, life expands and becomes increasingly clear as we follow the light of wisdom. Therefore, when we set and reinforce our intentions, remember not to fall into the traps of forms and self, and we will proceed broadly in the pathway to Truth.

* * *

须菩提！又念过去于五百世作忍辱仙人，于尔所世，无我相、无人相、无众生相、无寿者相。 是故须菩提！菩萨应离一切相，发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，不应住色生心，不应住声香味触法生心，应生无所住心。 若心有住，则为非住。 是故佛说：菩萨心不应住色布施。 “Subhuti, I also remember that in the past, during my former five hundred lives, I was a Ksantyrsi and held no conception of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Therefore, Subhuti, Bodhisattvas should forsake all conceptions of form and resolve to develop the Supreme Enlightenment Mind (Anuttara-samyaksam-bodhi). Their minds should not abide in form, sound, smell, taste, touch and dharma. Their minds should abide nowhere.

“If minds abide somewhere, it will be in falsehood. This is why the Buddha says that Bodhisattvas’ minds should not abide in form when practising charity (dana)”.

须菩提！菩萨为利益一切众生故，应如是布施。 如来说：一切诸相，即是非相。又说：一切众生，则非众生。 须菩提！如来是真语者、实语者、如语者、不诳语者、不异语者。 须菩提！如来所得法，此法无实无虚。 须菩提！若菩萨心住于法而行布施，如人入暗，则（即）无所见； 若菩萨心不住法而行布施，如人有目，日光明照，见种种色。 “Subhuti, all Bodhisattvas should thus make offerings for the welfare of all living beings. The Tathagata speaks of forms which are not forms and of living beings who are not living beings. Subhuti, the Tathagatas’ words are true and correspond to reality. They are ultimate words, neither deceitful nor heterodox. Subhuti, the Dharma the Tathagata has obtained is neither real nor unreal. Subhuti, if a Bodhisattva practises charity ( dana ) with a mind abiding in things (dharma), he is like a man entering the darkness where he cannot see anything; (but) if a Bodhisattva practises dana with a mind not abiding in dharma, he is like a man with open eyes, who can see everything in the sunshine.

须菩提！当来之世，若有善男子、善女人，能于此经受持读诵，则（即）为如来以佛智慧，悉知是人，悉见是人，皆得成就无量无边功德。 “Subhuti, in future ages, if a virtuous man or woman is able to receive, hold (in mind), read and recite this sutra, the Tathagata, by means of His Buddha Wisdom, will know and see clearly that such a person will achieve immeasurable and unlimitable merits.

Arhats are enlightened beings who attained individual liberation in Buddhism. They are 4 levels of Arhats:

1. Srota-apanna (须陀洹) – partial enlightenment, still need 7 returns to earthly life before full liberation 2. Sakrdagamin (斯陀含) – partial enlightenment, still need 1 return to earthly life before full liberation 3. Anagamin (阿那含) – partial enlightenment, no need to return to earthly life, can attain full liberation in heavenly realms 4. Arhat (阿罗汉) – complete liberation in an individual level, although there is even more complete potential in the Mahayana (big vehicle, collective liberation) tradition

As individual proceeds on the path of spiritual cultivation, the amount of attachments and karmic debts will decrease, and therefore there will be less and less force to pull one back to the earth as human. At the end point of the individual path, one transcends completely of one’s bias and attachments, and arrives at full liberation and individual enlightenment.

A common theme of each of the 4 above states/levels is that, there is a lack of attachment (and aversion) to the “self” as one’s locus or focus in life. From the ego’s perspective, it is tempting to claim itself to have arrived, or have attained certain enlightenment states, e.g. i am Arhat, i am Bodhisattva, i am Buddha, etc. Therefore, in this Chapter, the Buddha specifically warned us that, we should be aware of this potential error, and reject the temptations to identify ourselves to any of these states, no matter whole holy or magnificent they are, or how fitting our lives might seem to the descriptions. If we say we attained any of this states, we fall into the identification errors of a self, others, beings, immortals (see also earlier post: Diamond Sutra – self, others, beings, immortals).

* * *

一相无相分第九

THE ONE APPEARANCE IS BEYOND APPEARANCES, NINE

须菩提！于意云何？须陀洹能作是念：“我得须陀洹果”不？ “Subhuti, what do you think? Can one who has entered the stream (srota-apanna) have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of entering the stream?”

须菩提言：不也，世尊！ Subhuti replied: “No, World Honoured One.

何以故？ “Why?

须陀洹名为入流，而无所入，不入色声香味触法，是名须陀洹。 “Because srota-apanna means ’entering the stream’, but actually there is no entry into either form, sound, smell, taste, touch or dharma. Therefore, he is called srota-apanna.”

须菩提！于意云何？斯陀含能作是念：“我得斯陀含果”不？ “Subhuti, what do you think? Can a Sakrdagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of a Sakrdagamin?”

须菩提言：‘不也，世尊！ Subhuti replied: ’No, World Honored One.

何以故？ “Why?

斯陀含名一往来，而实无往来，是名斯陀含。 “Because Sakrdagamin means once come and go, but actually there is neither coming nor going. Therefore, he is called a Sakrdagamin.”

须菩提！于意云何？阿那含能作是念：“我得阿那含果”不？ “Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Anagamin have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the fruit of an Anagamin?”

须菩提言：不也，世尊！ Subhuti replied: “No, World Honoured One.

何以故？ “Why?

阿那含名为不来，而实无不来，是故名阿那含。 “Because Anagamin means ‘no-coming’ but actually there is no such a thing as no-coming. Therefore, he is called an Anagamin.”

须菩提！于意云何？阿罗汉能作是念：“我得阿罗汉道”不？ “Subhuti, what do you think? Can an Arhat have this thought (in his mind): I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat?”

须菩提言：‘不也，世尊！ Subhuti replied: “No, World Honoured One.

何以故？ “Why?

实无有法名阿罗汉。 “Because there is no Dharma which is called Arhatship.

世尊！若阿罗汉作是念：“我得阿罗汉道”，即为著我人众生寿者。 “World Honoured One, if an Arhat thinks ‘I have obtained the enlightenment of an Arhat’, he will still grasp and hold on to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life.

There are 2 levels of surrender: First level pertains to the transcendence of the “self”, second level require one to transcend the notion of there is a fixed “teaching”, to be followed towards the ultimate reality.

The second level of transcendence, requires a solid work in the first level before it can mean anything. Otherwise, one would run into the erroneous conclusion that one need not follow any teaching towards reality.

Therefore the Buddha said in this Sutra “法尚应舍，何况非法（even teachings should be surrendered, let alone non-teachings)“. First, surrender our attachments to the “self” and its various patterns (as will be explained in the rest of this sutra), then, surrender the attachment to the notion of a “fixed permanent teachings”, like what being presented in this Sutra. Such is the teaching of this section.

* * *

须菩提！如来悉知悉见，是诸众生得如是无量福德。 何以故？是诸众生无复我相、人相、众生相、寿者相。无法相，亦无非法相。 何以故？是诸众生若心取相，即为著我人众生寿者。 若取法相，即著我人众生寿者。何以故？ 若取非法相，即著我人众生寿者， 是故不应取法，不应取非法。 “Subhuti, the Tathagata knows and sees all; these living beings will thus acquire immeasurable merits. Why? (Because) they will have wiped out false notions of an ego, a personality, a being and a life, of Dharma and Not-Dharma. Why? (Because) if their minds grasp form (laksana), they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. If their minds grasp the Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Why? (Because) if their minds grasp the Not-Dharma, they will (still) cling to the notion of an ego, a personality, a being and a life. Therefore, one should not grasp and hold on to the notion of Dharma as well as that of Not-Dharma.

以是义故，如来常说：汝等比丘，知我说法，如筏喻者，法尚应舍，何况非法。 “This is why, the Tathagata always said: Ye Bhiksus, should know that the Dharma I expound is likened to a raft. Even the Dharma should be cast aside; how much more so the Not-Dharma?

If you heard of teachings of this Sutra and there is a sudden realization and resonance in you which brings you faith in the truth described. Congratulations! Your good effort has led to right karma and wisdom which leads you to come in touch with this impenetrable wisdom. Learn thoroughly what this Sutra has to offer, and use it to further your practice in your life.

Such was what happened to the Chinese Zen Buddhist Sixth Patriach Hui Neng. As an uneducated woodcutter who had never heard of Buddhism in his life, one day when he past by a farm house and heard of someone chanting a phrase of the Diamond Sutra “应无所住而生其心 (let the mind abide in nothing – no things and no no-thing)“, there was a realization which initiated him to his later study and eventual succession of the tradition.

If you have not experience any particular reaction after hearing this sutra, don’t worry, it is already great karma, as will be described in later chapters, that you got to hear about it. Stay put in your effort and your realization will come.

* * *

PROPER FAITH IS RARE, SIX

须菩提白佛言：世尊！颇有众生，得闻如是言说章句，生实信不？ Subhuti said to the Buddha: “World Honored One, will there be living beings who can develop a true belief in these words, sentences and chapters when they are expounded to them?”

佛告须菩提：莫作是说。如来灭后，后五百岁，有持戒修福者，于此章句能生信心，以此为实，当知是人不于一佛二佛三四五佛而种善根，已于无量千万佛所种诸善根，闻是章句，乃至一念生净信者， The Buddha said: “Subhuti, do not speak like that. In the last 500 years, before the final passing of the Tathagata, there will be those who will observe the rules of morality and perform good actions which will result in blessing. These people will be able to develop a faith in these sentences which they will consider as embodying the Truth. You should know that they will not have planted good roots in just one, two, three, four, or five Buddha lands. They will have planted them in countless thousands and tens of thousands of Buddha lands. Upon hearing these sentences, there will arise in them a single thought of pure faith.

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